Here’s an excellent inter-blog thread on whether hyperlinks do in fact subvert hierarchy: Doc made that part of his new year wishes. Dave Rogers objected. Doc replied. Mark Bernstein calmly sorted through the claims.

I agree with Mark’s sorting-out. Nicely done.

When I wrote that “hyperlinks subvert hierarchies” phrase, I must have used the word “subvert” for a reason. I believe that I used it to hint at the effect of hyperlinks on power relationships. So, it seems the truth of the statement depends on whether existing hierarchies are in fact being subverted by the Web. And that’s hard to evaluate because it’s such a broad statement and because it’s still early days. In support of the claim I’d point to changes in how businesses behave and the role of the mainstream media. But you could counter that politics hasn’t changed much, and I would counter that that’s going to be one of the last hierarchies to change, and you could reply…etc. And you could point to the emergence of new hierarchies in various Web domains, and I’d point to ways in which they’re substantially different sorts of hierarchies, and I’d point to Web domains where non-hierarchical social forms dominate, and you could counter-claim…etc. And these are interesting conversations to have. But not to settle. Not yet.

I’d also add that I agree with Dave that humans compete. But – to state the obvious, with which Dave agrees – that’s not all we do. We also collaborate, sympathize, coordinate, love, give way, support, woo, encourage, cooperate, share, and surprise one another with “Hang in there, Baby!” cat posters. The fact that we compete does not necessarily mean that power hierarchies are inevitable or that they have to be the dominant institutional/social form.

PS: There’s a sense in which the book I’m working on is in fact an elaboration of the notion that hyperlinks subvert hierarchies, where the hierarchies are taxonomic but the effects are on institutions. [Tags: hyperlinks web docSearls daveRogers markBernstein EverythingIsMiscellaneous]

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